What Is Pizza?

Basic Definition of Pizza

Pizza is an Italian dish that began in Naples. It is made from a flat base of leavened wheat dough, usually topped with tomato and cheese, plus a range of other ingredients. After adding the toppings, pizza is baked at a high temperature, often in a wood-fired oven, to make a hot and satisfying meal.

Over time, pizza has become popular across the globe. Its simple base can be changed with many kinds of sauces, cheeses, and toppings to suit almost any taste or diet. Some people eat pizza whole with utensils, while others prefer it cut into slices. No matter how it’s served, pizza is one of the most enjoyed foods worldwide.

The Term ‘Pizza’: Origin and Etymology

The word “pizza” has a history going back over a thousand years. It first appeared in a document from Gaeta, Italy, in 997 CE, where it referred to round, baked breads given as payment. In this document, the tenant was required to deliver “twelve pizzas” on certain holidays, showing that pizza was already appreciated long ago.

The word likely comes from several older languages. Some think it is related to the Greek and Latin “pitta,” meaning flatbread. Others connect it to the Italian “pinza” (meaning clamp) or the Latin “pinsere” (to pound or stamp). Another theory is the Lombardic word “pizzo,” meaning mouthful. While the exact roots are uncertain, “pizza” became standard in Italian and was adopted into English in the 1930s, replacing the earlier name “tomato pie.”

How Did Pizza Begin?

Early Pizza History

Pizza’s beginnings go back to ancient times. Although the pizza we recognize today started in Naples in the 1700s or 1800s, ancient people such as Persian soldiers made bread covered in cheese and dates on their shields as early as the 6th century BC. The Greeks also ate bread with oils, herbs, and cheese, similar to today’s pizza toppings.

Old writings mention foods like pizza. For example, Virgil’s “Aeneid” describes people eating bread topped with vegetables, possibly showing early types of pizza. In 2023, archaeologists even found a fresco in Pompeii that looks like a pizza. All these examples prove that putting toppings on flatbread is an idea with a very long history.

Naples and the Birth of Modern Pizza

Naples is known as the place where pizza as we know it was made famous. In the 1700s and 1800s, the busy streets of Naples were filled with workers who needed fast and inexpensive food. Pizza was sold from outside stands and small stores, making it easy for people to grab a quick bite. Around 1830, pizzerias began adding tables for customers, letting pizza move from street food to sit-down meals.

Neapolitan pizza is so important that it gained official protection from the European Union in 2009. In 2017, UNESCO also recognized the art of Neapolitan pizza making as a special cultural treasure. These honors help preserve traditional pizza recipes and methods.

The Tomato’s Role in Pizza

Tomatoes, which came to Europe from the Americas only in the 16th century, made a huge change in pizza. At first, people thought tomatoes were unsafe to eat, but cooks later learned to cook them into tasty sauces with salt and basil. Spreading tomato sauce on flatbread became popular and is now a basic part of classic pizza.

Mozzarella cheese became common on pizza after 1800. Older pizzas might have used other cheeses, lard, or just salt and garlic. Tomato and cheese combined made pizza much loved, from working people to royalty.

Pizza Becomes a World Favorite

Pizza grew from a local street food to an international dish. A key story is about Margherita, queen of Italy, who visited Naples in 1889. A pizza topped with tomato, cheese, and basil (red, white, and green for the Italian flag) was supposedly made in her honor and named “Pizza Margherita.” Whether or not every detail is true, this story helped make pizza popular throughout Italy.

Italian immigrants brought pizza to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s, opening the first pizzerias in cities such as New York. Pizza’s fame in America rose even higher after World War II, as soldiers brought home a taste for it. American styles of pizza developed and soon spread worldwide. Pizza is now available in restaurants, supermarkets, and even from street vendors nearly everywhere.

What Are the Main Ingredients in Pizza?

Pizza is made from three main elements: the crust, the sauce, and the toppings. These basics form the “blueprint” for any pizza, though each part can change to suit different traditions and tastes.

Pizza Dough and Crust Styles

The base of a pizza is its dough, made with flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and oil. After mixing and kneading, the dough rises, creating bubbles and flavor. It can be shaped by hand, stretched, rolled, or pressed into a pan.

Crusts can be plain, flavored, or even stuffed with cheese. Today, options like whole wheat or cauliflower crusts are popular for people with special diets.

Cheese Choices for Pizza

Cheese gives pizza its classic stretch and melt. Mozzarella is the main choice, thanks to its smooth taste and melting quality. In Italy, pizza makers use either buffalo milk (mozzarella di bufala) or cow’s milk (fior di latte) mozzarella. Buffalo mozzarella is even protected by strict European rules for quality.

Other popular cheeses include:

• Gorgonzola (sharp, blue-veined cheese)
• Provolone (firm, savory cheese)
• Pecorino Romano (salty, hard cheese)
• Ricotta (soft, creamy cheese)
• Scamorza (smoked cheese)

In commercial pizza, processed cheese is common for melting and storage reasons.

Common Sauces and Toppings

Most pizzas use a simple tomato sauce made from tomatoes, oil, herbs, and seasonings. Some pizzas have white sauces or pesto. The toppings can be just about anything, but here are some favorites:

• Pepperoni
• Mushrooms
• Bell peppers
• Olives
• Sausage
• Onions
• Bacon
• Pineapple
• Fresh tomatoes
• Spinach

Regional pizzas sometimes add special toppings, like artichokes and eggs in Italian versions or extra cheese and meats in American styles.

How Is Pizza Made and Baked?

The process of making pizza is straightforward but each step is important for a good result, whether you want a crisp thin crust or thick, chewy slices.

Steps to Make Pizza

1. Make the dough: Mix flour, yeast, water, salt, and sometimes sugar and oil. Knead to develop the texture, then let it rise as the yeast produces air bubbles.
2. Shape the dough: Stretch, roll, or press the dough to the right thickness. For deep-dish pizzas, layer the dough into a pan and push it up the sides.
3. Add sauce and toppings: Spread sauce, sprinkle cheese, and arrange your chosen toppings.
4. Bake: Slide the pizza onto a hot surface. In restaurants, wood-fired ovens are often used, but electric or gas ovens and even grills can work. At home, a pizza stone helps copy a brick oven.

Pizzas for large groups or stores may be baked on a conveyor belt or in special pans, depending on the style.

What Kinds of Pizza Exist?

Pizza comes in many versions around the world, each shaped by local tastes and ingredients.

Regional Pizza Styles

Popular Dessert Pizzas

Sweet versions exist too. Dessert pizzas use a regular or cookie-like crust and toppings such as chocolate, fruits, or cream cheese. Examples include:

• Chocolate pizza (with melted chocolate and marshmallows)
• Fruit pizza (cream cheese base, fresh fruits)

Nutrition: What’s in Pizza?

Pizza’s nutrition can change a lot based on recipes, ingredients, and serving size. Homemade pizzas made with fresh items will be different from frozen or fast-food versions.

Main Nutrients

• Carbohydrates: Provided by the crust, higher if using white flour
• Protein: Mostly from cheese and any meats
• Fat: From cheese and any oil or fatty toppings

*Approximate values, varies by brand and recipe

Fast-food or ready-made pizzas usually have more salt and fat. Some brands may include as much as 5,100 mg of sodium in a large pizza, which can be more than recommended for a whole day.

Health and Dietary Needs

Pizza can be changed to meet many diets:

• Vegan: Use non-dairy cheese or skip cheese altogether.
• Vegetarian: Add plenty of vegetables and regular cheese.
• Gluten-free: Choose crusts made from alternative grains or cauliflower.

Homemade or carefully chosen pizzas can be healthier by using less cheese, choosing lean meats, and adding lots of vegetables.

What Foods Are Similar to Pizza?

Many cultures have foods like pizza-flatbread with toppings. Here are some well-known examples:

• Calzone: Folded pizza with sealed edges, baked with fillings inside
• Stromboli: Rolled pizza, sliced after baking
• Focaccia: Flat Italian bread with toppings, sometimes called “white pizza”
• Coca (Spain): Sweet or savory flatbread with various toppings
• Flammekueche (Alsace): Flatbread with onions, bacon, and cream
• Pide (Turkey): Boat-shaped flatbread, topped with meat and cheese
• Khachapuri (Georgia): Boat-shaped bread filled with cheese and egg
• Lahmacun (Middle East): Thin flatbread with minced meat topping
• Okonomiyaki (Japan): Savory pancake with many toppings, sometimes called Japanese pizza
• Garlic Fingers (Canada): Bread with garlic and cheese, cut in strips
• Pissaladière (France): Flatbread topped with onions, anchovies, and olives
• Zanzibar Pizza: Thin dough, filled with beef, egg, and onions

All these dishes show how the idea of bread with toppings is common and loved around the world.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pizza

Why Is Pizza Sometimes Called “Pizza Pie”?

In the United States, pizza has also been called “pizza pie” because of its round shape and because the crust holds in the toppings, similar to a fruit or savory pie. The older name “tomato pie” was once popular, especially before “pizza” became well-known in English.

Is Pizza Healthy?

Pizza can be healthy or unhealthy, depending on what’s in it. It offers carbs in the crust, protein from cheese and meats, and vitamins from vegetables. A pizza with lots of vegetables and made with whole grains is usually a better option. On the other hand, pizzas with a lot of cheese, fatty meats, or thick crusts can be higher in calories and salt. Choosing smaller portions or healthier toppings makes pizza more balanced as part of a diet.

Where Can You Get “Authentic” Pizza?

Many consider “authentic” pizza to be the traditional Neapolitan version found in Naples, Italy, made with specific ingredients and cooked in a wood-fired oven. The group “Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana” sets the rules for making real Neapolitan pizza. However, other cities, such as New York and Buenos Aires, have their own traditional styles that are authentic in their own right. The best way to enjoy authentic pizza is to look for pizzerias that use good ingredients and make pizza using time-honored methods.